mr. rather, thank you for being here. >> i'm always honored to be here. >> susan rice withdrawing her name from consideration for secretary of state. this is not the most unforeseen thing in the world but it still leaves a lot of questions unanswered. what do you think is the most important thing that just happened or that we should watch for happening? >> the most important thing that just happened is that president obama has once again been backed down and away. let's make no mistake. this is chalk one up for the republicans. they can hopefully in private smile, even smirk, wink at one another. they have the professional scalp of susan rice now hanging on their door. they backed president obama down and away. president obama for whatever reasons, and i thought andrea mitchell, a lot of the potential reasons for, it chose not to fight it to the end. there will be any number of people, and not all of them democrats, who say this tells us something about president obama. he was not for a f